>>766349The Molotov-Ribbentrop pact was an important diplomatic victory for the USSR mostly in terms of the Realpolitik. At least it was perceived such initially.
It enabled the union to
•Expand the revolution into the Baltics, Eastern Poland without any credible foreign resistance
•Getting a chance to annex all of Finland as well in a fast & unopposed SMO ( which didn't go as planned. )
•Technology-sharing & Trade Agreement with the Axis powers which in a way aided the Five Year Plan.
>But why did the USSR in a way benefitted the Axis powers which were in a way afraid of a Triple Alliance between UK/FRA/USSRFirstly, USSR PC of Foreign Affairs were very afraid of the German expansion and the main premise dominated the Soviet foreign policy was to put an end to the German regime with the combined strength of all other Allied powers. (Poland,France,Britain)
The USSR PC of Foreign Affairs were very well aware that the German regime was openly anti-bolshevik and posed a big threat to the survival of the USSR, as USSR was behind compared to the already industrialized Western nations both militarily and economically. The major possible scenario of utmost concern was that Axis invading or collaborating with Poland against the USSR.
As Stalin worded the situation of the union in 1931:
https://www.marxists.org/reference/archive/stalin/works/1931/02/04.htm
>…There is no other way. That is why Lenin said on the eve of the October Revolution: "Either perish, or overtake and outstrip the advanced capitalist countries.">We are fifty or a hundred years behind the advanced countries. We must make good this distance in ten years. Either we do it, or we shall go under…So, the Union had to step onto the dark pathway very carefully to not fall. From the beginning of Nazis taking power, the USSR Union foreign policy was focussed on one thing that is to ensure that Germany or other agressive western-capitalist country to not ever attack to the Union.
That was why the PC of Foreign Affairs had contacted Poland, Britain and France to unite on a real defensive alliance [
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Triple_alliance_negotiations] which was rejected/ignored by the Allied powers due to their mistrust of the USSR & their confidence in the Appeasement policy.
Seemingly, all the options and hopes for the USSR to cooperate with the liberal Western Powers were ran out. So the Union pursued a new policy decision- which was to diplomatically aproach to Germany and try to keep neutral relations at worst. Back to the Molotov-Ribbentrop pact, it was kinda amazing news for the union. Baltics were annexed, just at the beginning of the WWII, lost lands in the Polish-Soviet war were also retrieved. (Also it might have postponed Axis invasion.)
In this time period, Soviet Union was just hoping that the WWII would stall between German-French border or end with white peace ( with Poland annexed. ) , Status Quo was seemingly the best outcome for the USSR.
( Oh, and also, during the Winter War, there was a wide concern in the All-Union Communist Party that there will be an Anglo-French intervention in Finland. So during that time Nazis weren't the only perceived threat. The Soviets distrusted both sides from the start. )
https://histdoc.net/pdf/A_Statement_by_Stalin_on_Allied_Responsibility_30.11.1939.pdfAs Stalin worded in Pravda before France were defeated:
>This Havas report, like many of its reports, is a lie. Of course, I do not know in which particular café chantant this lie was invented. But whatever lies the gentlemen from Havas may tell, they cannot deny that:>(a)It was not Germany that attacked France and England, but France and England that attacked Germany, taking on themselves responsibility for the present war;>(b)After the outbreak of hostilities Germany made peace proposals to France and England, and the Soviet Union publicly supported Germany’s peace proposals, since it thought and still thinks that a quick end to the war would radically ease the situation of all countries and peoples;>(c)The ruling circles of England and France rudely rejected both Germany’s peace proposals, and the Soviet Union’s efforts to bring the war quickly to an end. These are the facts.>What can the café chantant politicians of the Havas agency put against these facts?Of course, Stalin there backs up the false premise that the UK/FRA started the war, though imo it is a well-thought statement which appeases Germany while also pursuing to restore the European status quo ( with poland gone and baltics annexed by the union )
So that's all, long story short- Soviets seemingly had done what they thought it could be the best for the survival and continuation of the revolution. From trying to aproach Allies for triple alliance to aproaching Axis for a non-agression and friendship treaty.